Picture Book Review

Something Old: The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd- From a runaway bunny, to a bunny who knows just where he belongs--at home, being a bunny-- Margaret Wise Brown's story continues to build and build until it comes full circle. This is a technique that continues to be seen in other picture books as well, such as It's Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler, as well as Laura Numeroff's If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Although the technique has been replicated, there is no match to the classics that Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd created.

 Something New: Someone's Sleepy by Deborah Lee Rose; illustrated by Dan Andreasen- A bedtime story in rhyme is far from original, but the illustrations in this sweet tale transform what could easily be dubbed an ordinary story into something more extraordinary. The artwork is refreshing and very appropriately portrays a sleepy bedtime scene.  

Something Borrowed: Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld- Few have had the chance to learn a cloud's point-of-view; but, thanks to Cloudette, now we all can! It is definitely an imaginitive story in which readers get to enjoy learning about one little cloud who sure has some "big and important things to do!"

Something Blue: Grandpa's Tractor by Michael Garland- In Grandpa's Tractor, Michael Garland successfully uses contemporary methods to re-create old-fashioned scenes. Because, although the artwork is crafted digitally, the story still imparts moments of days gone by and reminds us all of our own favorite childhood memories.